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British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that he will step down as both Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party, bringing an end to a tenure less than two years after leading Labour to a landslide election victory.
Starmer made the announcement on Monday in a statement outside 10 Downing Street, saying he had listened to growing calls within his party over whether he remained the right person to lead Labour into the next general election.
According to him, he has heard the answer from the party and is accepting that verdict “with good grace.”
What they are saying
Explaining his decision, Starmer said every major decision he had taken in office was guided by what he believed was best for the United Kingdom.
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- “The question my party has been asking is whether I am the best person to lead it into the next general election,” he said.
- “I have heard that answer and I accept it with good grace.”
He added that every decision he made as Prime Minister was about “putting the country I love first” before formally announcing his resignation as Labour leader.
Get up to speed
Starmer’s resignation follows months of mounting pressure within the Labour Party after poor local election results, falling approval ratings and growing dissatisfaction among MPs and cabinet members.
Several ministers had resigned in recent weeks while dozens of Labour lawmakers publicly called on him to step aside.
The resignation also comes days after Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster through a by-election victory, a development widely seen as intensifying speculation over Labour’s future leadership.
US President, Donald Trump, had on Sunday predicted that he would resign as prime minister, accusing him of failing badly on immigration and energy.
More insights
Starmer revealed that he had informed King Charles III of his decision earlier on Monday and had instructed Labour’s National Executive Committee to begin the process of selecting a new leader.
Under the proposed timetable, nominations for the leadership contest will open on July 9, with the process expected to conclude before Parliament returns from its summer recess in September.
Until then, Starmer said he will remain in office to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of power.
- “I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover and give my successor my full support,” he said.
An emotional Starmer used part of his resignation speech to thank his wife, Victoria, whom he described as a “rock” throughout his political journey.
He also said that after leaving what he called “the biggest job in the country,” he intends to focus on being “the best husband” and “the best dad” to his children.
Labour is expected to launch a leadership contest in the coming weeks, with former Greater Manchester Mayor and newly elected MP Andy Burnham widely viewed as a leading contender to succeed Starmer.
The new Labour leader is expected to become Prime Minister before Parliament reconvenes in September, ending another chapter in a period of political instability that has seen several changes of leadership in the UK over the past decade.
What you should know
The UK political crisis has sent the Pound Sterling tumbling against the Naira.
The British pound Sterling was on Monday morning trading toward its lowest point of the year against the Nigerian Naira as political instability in the United Kingdom has turned the sterling into a tailspin.
CBN’s latest data showed the Nigerian currency settled at N1,806 to the pound sterling.
